Rolling flanged sections.



No. 654,07l.

T.- MUBRISN.

Patented July I7, |900.

BQLLING FLANGED ASEGTIDNS.

(Application filed May 23, 1900.)

(No Modal.)

QH N: f2 93h ni I "4 e a) Si WITNESSES ooo 2 Sheets- Sheet l,

LEGO* Tus Ncnms PETERS w.. PHomLlTN'n., wAsNxNuTUN. mc.

No. 654,07I.

Patented IuIy I7, |900.

T. MORRISON. ROLLING FLANGED SECTIONS.

(Application led May 23, 1900.)

(No Model.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 9M www Hora-nwo.. wAsHmaToN o c THOMAS MORRISON, OFBRADDOOK, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO JULIANKENNEDY, OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

ROLLlNc FLANGED SECTIONS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 654,071, dated `J'uly17, 1900.

Application filed May 23, 1900. Serial No. 17,679. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS MORRISON, of Braddock, in the county ofAllegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and usefulImprovement in Rolling `Flanged Sections, of which the following is afull, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to an improvement in rolling iron or steelarticles-such as railroadro rails,beams,girders,or other structuralshapes which are long and comparatively narrow and of unequal thicknessat different points of the cross-section--the purpose being to increasethe density and hardness of the article. In describing my improvement Ishall refer particularly to its application in the manufacture ofrailroad-rails, premising that it is applicable to steel or iron beamsor rails of unequal thickness at different points of their 2ocross-section, and while I have invented and herein describe a specialmechanism for the purpose it may be modified according to the article tobe rolled, or other mechanism producing the same result in substantiallythe 2 5 same way may be employed.

In rolling steel rails in the manner heretofore practiced the ingot orbloom having been heated to the required temperature is then passed anumber of times between the 3o grooves of the rolls, technically calledpasses, and is thus fashioned into the desired shape, the Operationbeing rendered continuous by shifting the rail from one pass to anotherand rapidly feeding fresh 3 5 ingots or blooms to the rolls.

I have found that the temperature at which steel is worked, andparticularly in the iinishing pass, has an important influence on thequality of the nished product. The steel 4o reaches the rolling-mill asan ingot, which having been heated in a suitable heatingfurnace is thenpassed through a bloomingmilland convertedintoblooms. Theseblooms are inturn heated in a suitable furnace and then delivered to the rail-mill,where they are rolled into rails. As steel has to be supplied to nillsin large masses, in ingots weighing as i'nuch as two tons or over, andas these ingots when worked into rails give several 5o rail lengths,which by the ordinary practice cannot be iinished simultaneously, itfollows that every rail cannot be finished at the same temperature.Therefore an objectionable irregularity Occurs among the dierent rails,and this is shown in the variable density of the finished steel and isreadily determined by microphotography.

For facility in working it is necessary that the ingots or blooms enterthe rolls at a white heat, or thereabout, but for the best results 6o infinishing the piece of metal ought to leave Jthe finishing-rolls at amuch lower temperature, so that it is desirable that the heat bematerially reduced between the intermediate and iinal rolls, to such anextent, if desired, as to amount. very nearly to cold-rolling; but toeffect this cooling in the ordinary method of rolling there would besuch a delay between the passage of each rail through the iinishingrollsand the passage of the next rail in suc- 7o cession as to result in avery material loss of time.

The object of my invention is to improve the quality of rolled pieces ofmetal by regulating the temperature at which they are iinished and tocause each of the rails to be passed through the inishing-rolls at yareduced temperature by allowing it to cool without interfering with thecontinuity or rapidity of action of the nishing-rolls. I 8o accomplishthis by introducing an interval in the time of passage from theintermediate to the finishing rolls, during which every individual piececan be brought to the same temperature, that temperature being of thedegree which has been found to produce the best results. This is donewithout interfering with the rapidity and continuity of action of themill, and it results in improving greatly the product of the mill. Thisintro- 9o duction of an interval in the rolling may be accomplished in avariety of ways, and it is not dependent on any special mechanism. Ihave, however, invented a system of apparatus that will permit of thisinterval without any delay or interference in the continuous operationof the mill, and I will now proceed to describe my invention inconnection with this apparatus.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is roo a plan view of the rolls,the feed-tables, cooling-table, and finishing-rolls; and Fig. 2 is avertical cross-sectional View showin g the feeding mechanism which drawsthe rails from the feed-rollers to the cooling-table and from thecooling-table to other feed-rollers which lead to the nishing-rolls.Fig. 3 is a vertical section on the line III III of Fig. 1. 4 is avertical section on the line IV IV of Fig. 1, and Fig. 5 is a side viewof the rolls.

Like symbols of reference indicate like parts wherever they occur.

In the drawings, 2 represents the threehigh roughing-rolls of arail-mill.

are provided with a feed-table 3, which'is preferably vertically movableand may be of the ordinary construction and arrangement. The metalpassesback and forth upon the table 3 until it reaches the last pass of therolls 2, and from such lastpass it is delivered to a separate .table 5,having rollers 4. This table 5 is provided with a series of stationarycross-bars or supports 6, constituting a cooling-table open above andbelow, extending, preferably, on an upward incline to and slightly abovea second series of feed-rollers 7, which are parallel with the rollers 4and lead. to the finishing-rolls S. Between the rollers 4 are fingers 9,preferably mounted on antifriction-wheels 10, which run on the ways 11,as shown in Fig. 2. These ngers are bolted to rods 12, whose outer endsare pivoted to levers 13, keyed to the shaft 14, which is operated bythe motor 15 at any desired interval of time, such interval being thetime requisite to cool each rail to the desired degree, as the skilledoperator may iind most eicient.

y The operation is as follows: The heated metal is fed to the iirst passof the roughingrolls 2 and passes upon the table 3, from which it is fedback through the second pass of the rolls 2, then back to the table 3,and again through the rolls in the usual manner and as often as may benecessary to reduce the metal tothe desired shape. 0n the last pass therail` is delivered to the feed-rollers 4, by which it is brought intothe path of the fingers 9. These fingers are then actuated by the motorand their connecting-rods 12 13 and are caused to draw the rail from therollers 4 to and upon the cross-bars 6 of the cooling-table 5,. The railis allowed to rest in this position, and the fingers 9 are then movedback to their original position. When the second rail comes from` thelast pass of the rolls 2 to the rollers 4, the movement of the fingers 9is repeated, drawing` the second rail upon the table 5 beside the firstrail and pushing the first rail laterally farther on the table. In thedrawings the table is shown of a width suitable for supporting iiverails of the ordinary thickness; but it may be adapted to receive agreater number, if desired. After the five Fig. i

rlhese rolls may be of the ordinary construction and y rails, more orless, have been placed on the through which the rail is given a singlepass.

By adjusting the distauceof motion of the fingers 9 to the width of one,two, or more ,rails by any suitable means of adjustment the periodduring which the rails remain on the table 5 and the interval of timeintroduced between the last pass of the roughing-rolls and the firstpass of the nishing-rolls may be regulated as desired without affectingthe continuity or rapidity of the rolling operation and the output ofthe mill. Each rail may therefore be allowed to remain on the table 5during a period required to roll five, four, three, or a greater or lessnumber of rails, during which time it is cooled throughout al1 itsparts. When the outermost rail-bar has been pushed laterally until itdrops from the. table upon the feed-rollers 7, and has been carried bythem beyond the end of the table, another rail is in like manner pushedupon the feedrollers, and so on continuously, the interval beingregulated by the throw of the fingers and the number of rails lying sideby side on the cooling-table.

. The finishing pass is proportioned so that the work is mainlyperformed on the head of the rail, and only suiicient work is done onthe flange to prevent the rail from twisting. Preferably from six toeight per cent. of the total reduction of the sectional area per' formedon the head and web of the rail is done in this iinal pass, and, as juststated, a much less reduction is exerted in this pass upon the iianges.I do not desire to limit my invention to the cooling of the lnetal forany particular period or interval, as larger masses may require agreater interval, and different intervals may be required for dilerentpurposes. I have found the best results from an interval between theroughing-rolls and the finishing-rolls of about seventy seconds for arail of seventy-five pounds per yard.

What I claim as my invention in the rolling of bars, rails, or otherarticles of iron or steel having considerable length and comparativelysmall cross-sectional area is 1. The method of rolling elongated shapesof metal having head and flange portions, which consists in passing thesame through initial shaping-rolls, allowing a regulated interval oftime to elapse during which all parts of the metal become reduced intemperature, and then giving the metal a working pass at such reducedtemperature through inishingrolls and imparting therein a greaterreduction to the head than to the flange; substantially as described.

2. The method of rolling elongated shapes of metal having head andflange portions,

`which consists in passing a number of such without impairin g thecontinuity of operation shapes of metal consecutively through initial ofthe latter; substantially as described. 1c

shaping-rolls, placing them side by side on a cooling-table, allowingthem to remain cooling a uniform regulated interval of time, duringwhich all parts of the metal become reduced in temperature, and thenpassing them consecutively through the finishing-rolls In testimonywhereof l have hereunto set my hand.

THOMAS MORRISON. Vitnesses:

G. E. F. GRAY, J. E. MITCHELL.

